Sir, "Statiscope" (June 3rd) provided total fertility rates for a number of countries for 1993 based on the World Bank's "World Tables 1995". The figures provided are probably correctly transcribed from the source, but the source may be inaccurate. More immediate sources provide differing figures.
The figure shown of 2.1 births per Irish woman in 1993 is just at replacement level. However, the Irish Central Statistics Office's "Vital Statistics 1994" gives 1.93 for 1993, well below replacement level. If 1.6 births per woman for the 15 members of the EU is correct, Ireland is only 20 per cent above the average fertility of an ageing sub-fertile EU. Below replacement fertility combined with emigration losses should be a national concern. Yours, etc., Mapas Road, Dalkey, Co Dublin.